Connected Paths
by SunRise19
Summary: While in the jungle, Simba meets and befriends a lioness..years later, when she turns up in the pride lands with her son that is Simba's cub, what will happen? PLZ RR!
1. The Find

Chapter 1: The Find

"Ahhh, another day of doing absolutely nothing," adolescent Simba remarked to his two friends as they relaxed in a hot spring.

"Yep," Pumbaa replied.

"Couldn't have said it better myself buddy," Timon said as all three of them sighed, knowing nothing would ruin there Hakuna Matata lifestyle.

----------------------

"So, what do you want to do now?"

Simba asked the warthog and meerkat as they lazed under a tall tree, the next afternoon.

"Do you want to go diving again?"

"No, not really."

"Do you want to practice your hunting?"

Simba laughed at Timon's questions, "Nah, I don't feel like doing that again; besides, that trick I pulled on you the other day….."

"He didn't see ya coming!!"

"I know," Simba laughed, rolling on the ground, "if you could've seen the look on your face…"

Timon grimmest, "ok ok, you got me."

"Do you want to play catch," Pumbaa suggested.

"Play catch; Pumbaa that's the stupidessed idea… hey wait a second, how about we play catch?!"

Simba rolled his eyes, "sure, with what?"

"Well," Timon looked down as Pumbaa spoke up.

"Look what I found, it's a dung beetle!"

"Perfect!"

The lion jumped up, "Pumbaa, since you found the object that we're going to play with…"

"Can I have it when we're done?"

The warthog asked innocently; which made Timon sigh.

"Sure, why not?"

"Ok Pumbaa, throw it to me, and I'll pitch it to Timon."

Simba explained this very slowly to the easily confused warthog.

"Got it."

He threw to Simba, which caught it between his teeth, almost completely crushing it.

"Alright Timon, catch!"

The lion threw the beetle and Timon jumped in the air and caught it in his paws.

"Nice one," Simba commented.

"Alright Pumbaa, here it comes!"

The three friends were laughing and having an awesome time. The sun was beginning it's descent before Timon stopped the game.

"Man, I'm tired, let's call it a day, shall we?"

"Come on, just one more pass? It's dead anyways, we can each split it after this round."

This amazed both Simba and Timon, for it was rare for Pumbaa to make such a plea.

"Alright, one more round won't change our lives," Timon smirked as he positioned himself and threw the beetle to Pumbaa.

"I caught it!!"

Pumbaa shouted and then he took the bug out of his mouth.

"Alright Simba, ready?"

"Give me your best shot," the young lion dared.

"You're asking for it," Timon commented as Pumbaa picked up the bug with his paw and jumped, throwing it. Simba jumped, but it soared over the animal's head.

"wow, great one!"

Timon exclaimed; but Simba wasn't so easily deterred from catching the beetle. He began to run after it as a gust of wind carried it farther away from him. Timon and Pumbaa followed there friend as they watched him trying to catch the bug. However, Simba wasn't watching where he was going, and so with out warning he found himself ruling over something, and then lying on the ground.

"Simba, are you ok?"

Timon's concerned voice floated to Simba's ears as he sat up.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but look!"

Timon walked over to where the lion was standing.

"Oh gees it's a lion, run Simba get moving!!"

"Timon, she's just like me."

"She?"

"I think she's hurt, she's unconscious."

Pumbaa joined his friends as they stared down at the tan colored lioness, "can we keep her?"

"Pumbaa are you nuts?!?!"

"Ok look," Simba took command over the situation, "we need to get her some water."

"How?"

Simba paused before his eyes lit up, "Pumbaa, run over by that stream and get us some water, and Timon dig a hole for Pumbaa to put the water in to."

Pumbaa ran off as Timon began to dig a hole beside the lioness's head.

"You got it Pumbaa?"

The fat warthog didn't answer; instead, he spit out the water that had been in his mouth.

"Ok, thanks buddy."

Simba took a paw of the water, and began splashing the lioness with it as his two friends looked on.

"Oh."

A soft moan came from the lioness as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Wh who are you?"

"My name is Simba," he replied, just as soft.

"I saved you," Timon put in. At this, Pumbaa snorted at his friend's remark.

"No you didn't, Simba saved you, and I got the water."

Timon lowered his gaze, "I dug the bowl."

The young lioness tried to sit up; however her body still felt so heavy that she had to lye back down.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking at Simba, "I'm exhausted."

"What's your name?"

"Jenna."

She replied as she shut her eyes, and drifted back to sleep.

"Come on, help me get her on my back," Simba said.

"Simba, I don't think that's a good idea," Timon protested, "she's going to ruin our Hakuna Matata."

Simba turns his head with a lifted brow, "didn't you think I was going to ruin your Hakuna Matata?"

"Simba that was different, you were just a little lion, and she's…"

"A lion just like me."

Timon sighs, knowing he was defeated, "fine fine, you're responsible for her actions."

-------------------End Of Chapter 1------------------------

A/N: Ok, this is a story that my friend (Brad) and I have been working on..I know the first chapter is short, but they'll get longer!!! I hope you all like it, Please RR!!!!!!!


	2. Waking Up To a New Start

A/N: Hi all!

I'm so sorry for not updating! I've been really busy, thank you all that have reviewed, please come back; please don't give up on me…lol!

Thank you all so much!

Jenna: Thanks so much for reviewing, I hope you'll like this chapter; I really appreciate your review!

BigG500: Thanks for your review, here's chapter 2, I hope you enjoy!

Nala17: Thanks for the luck (I needed it) I hope you'll come back and review!

Narfgirl: Here's chapter 2, thanks for your review, I love your story!

Pichooi: Thanks for your review, and you're right; Pumbaa does have hoofs not paws... thanks for pointing that out! I'll know for next time I may use that term…

Nightstorm7: I hope you'll come back and I hope you'll enjoy the chapter! Thanks for reviewing!

Lindsey: Thanks for your review, enjoy the chapter! Thank you so much!

Doppleganger: Hope you'll enjoy the chapter, thank you for reviewing!

Well all, for what you've been waiting for a long time… I'll try and update ASAP! Please RR and if you have thoughts or ideas, feel free to leave them in a review or email me!

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Chapter 2: Waking Up To a New Start

'The sun, the bright sun, it's to bright…'

Jenna lay under a tree in the jungle, the sunlight streaming through the branches above her. However, it was enough to make her open her eyes and take a look around. From where the young lioness lye, she could see the leaves above her, green grass, beautiful flowers, and most importantly see a slow flowing river. Blinking a few times, she carefully stood up, and patted over to the cool water. Bending her head, she lapped up the water until she was satisfied. Sitting down on the bank, her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten in a long time. Standing again, she began looking for something to eat. Jenna was not a very good hunter, so when she saw a small animal go bye, she decided to follow it.

'It looks like one of those rats.'

The lioness thought as she pounced, and scooped the animal in her mouth. Jenna tossed her head back and forth, trying to bite down on the creature.

"Hey Jenna, glad to see you're awake," Simba greeted as him and Pumbaa emerged.

"Mmmmmmhmmmm," Jenna said with her mouth full.

"Have you seen our friend Timon?"

Pumbaa asked as a head popped out of the lioness's mouth;

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

Timon screamed as his feet ran on Jenna's tongue;

"Ummm Jenna, could you please spit out our friend?"

Simba asked;

The lioness leaned forward and opened her mouth and watched as the meerkat jumped out and ran over towards Simba.

"I told you, I told you having her here was a bad idea, but did anyone listen?"

Timon began ranting as Jenna ran over to the river and began to drink water;

Raising her head, she turned around and faced the three friends, "I'm so sorry, I am so sorry, you looked like one of those rat things……"

"I'm not a rat! I am a meerkat, a meerkat!"

Timon screamed, "Thanks a lot Simba, next she'll try and eat Pumbaa!"

"Timon, calm down, it was an accident!"

Simba shouted at his friend, as Jenna lowered her head.

"Timon, I'm really sorry, it's just I haven't eaten anything in a while."

The stubborn Meerkat didn't say anything, only folded his arms and turned to walk away. Jenna sighed as she turned back to the riverbank.

"Simba, Timon is really upset, want me to talk to him?"

Pumbaa offered as the lion smiled, "yeah, just explain that she didn't mean to almost eat him."

Simba walked up to Jenna and sat by her, gazing into the crystal clear water.

"Simba, I am really sorry."

"It's ok, just glad we came in time," Simba said, and then he mentally slapped himself for saying such a stupid thing.

"It takes a little time for Timon to get used to new people," Simba continued, "when I first came here, they wouldn't let me sleep near them, cause Timon thought I was going to eat one of them."

"Oh, do you sleep near them now?"

Simba nodded, "Pumbaa let me after I had a bad dream, and I came here when I was a cub."

Simba studied Jenna's features as the sunlight played across them. She had soft brown eyes, and her ears had faint circle like markings going around them. Her fur was tan, and Simba's eyes fell on a stripe going down her right front leg.

"What are you looking at?"

Jenna questioned, "Do I have water on my face or something?"

Simba laughed, "no, it's just I've never seen a stripe like that before."

"A stripe like what?"

The young lioness followed Simba's gaze to where he stared at her leg.

"Oh," Jenna said, "my mom has one, and I guess I got the slightly rimmed ears from my dad."

"Oh," Simba said quietly as he raised his head, "do you have a pride, where are you from, why are you here?"

Simba inquired of the lioness, his questions coming out rushed as he spoke to her.

"I had a pride, it's far away from here, and I ran away."

The lion lowered his gaze, "sorry…"

Jenna sighed, "it's ok, I left about one month ago, and I was just traveling and I was so tired that I past out. I just happened to pass out around here."

"Yeah," Simba said, not knowing what else to say.

"Ummm, Simba?"

Jenna inquired;

"What?"

"What do you eat around here? I'm really hungry, do you have zebras or buffalo, or…"

"We don't eat that stuff around here, although sometimes I wish we would, for something different."

Jenna raised an eyebrow, "then… what do you eat?"

"Follow me."

Simba said as he stood up and began to walk away from the confused lioness. After a moment's hesitation, Jenna stood up and started to follow him. They walked for a while in silence, before Simba had stopped in front of a log. Jenna watched as Simba sat down in front of it and began to push it with his front paws.

"Need help?"

Jenna offered, as the lion shook his head and the log had been lifted.

Jenna looked down and gasped at what she saw, and then looked back up at Simba.

"Bugs, you eat bugs?"

"Yep," Simba answered, popping one into his mouth for affect, "tastes like chicken."

"Ewww gross," Jenna commented, looking at the squirming insects.

"Hakuna Matata," Simba smiled.

"What?"

"Hakuna Matata, it means no worries."

"That's impossible, you can't have a worry free life," Jenna stated.

"Hakuna Matata Jenna, it means no worries for the rest of your days, it's a problem free philosophy, Hakuna Matata," Simba sung, jumping over the log and picking up more bugs on the other side.

"It's how we live around here," Simba said.

"Oh, so there's no worries, responsibilities, rules, obligations…"

"Nope, none of that."

"Wow," Jenna breathed, "that sounds so cool!"

"So, care for some bugs?"

He held up a leaf to her, where he had gathered some worms and other bugs onto it.

"Oh well, Hakuna Matata," Jenna replied as she took a worm off the leaf and put it in her mouth. Simba laughed as she made a disgusted face;

"I'll have to get used to it."

Jenna commented as she swallowed, and took the leaf of other bugs and began to slowly eat them. The two lions sat and talked, well it was Simba that was doing most of the talking, telling Jenna the story of how they had found her and about Timon and Pumbaa.

"Well, I guess we better get back, Timon and Pumbaa might be wondering where we are," Jenna stated as she looked up at the sun.

"Yeah," Simba agreed as the two lions started there Journey back.

……………….

"So what, she ate a few bugs," Timon argued in front of Simba, while Pumbaa and Jenna were out getting bugs for Timon and Simba. Plus, Jenna had told Simba she wanted to get to know Timon and Pumbaa, and since Pumbaa was willing to talk to her, that's who she was with now.

"Timon, she has nowhere to go."

Simba explained to the meerkat that was not giving in, "she's not going to ruin our Hakuna Matata, if anything she'll add to it."

Timon sighed, "Fine, I guess she can stay."

Simba patted Timon on the head, "Thanks."

"We're back," Jenna yelled from a slight distance away.

"Are you back with Pumbaa?"

Timon shouted back to her;

The lioness didn't answer as the two of them came running up to Timon and Simba.

"Dig in," Pumbaa said as Timon, Pumbaa, and Simba began eating. Jenna stepped off to the side, sighing as she laid on the ground. She watched the three friends eat, and wondered if she could really become apart of this Hakuna Matata lifestyle.

Soon, night was upon them as the bright stars came out in the sky, and Pumbaa, Timon, and Simba laid under a tree in order to go to sleep. Not far off, Jenna lay by herself in the cool night air. The young lioness yawned and rolled onto her other side.

"It's your turn to say it," Pumbaa remarked as Jenna picked up her ears in interest.

"Goodnight," Timon began.

"Sleep tight," Pumbaa replied.

However, there was nothing but silence coming from Simba;

"Simba?"

The lion sighed before speaking, "I'm going to sleep next to Jenna tonight."

"That's not how it goes… you're supposed to say…"

Timon's voice trailed off as Simba stood up and walked over to Jenna, lying down next to her. The lioness cracked open one eye to look at him, "what is it?"

"I just want to keep you company."

Jenna sat up and looked down at Simba, touched by his act. However, she didn't want to come between him and his friends.

"Simba," she started, "I don't want to come between you and your friends. Go over there and stay with them."

"Jenna," Simba countered, "its ok, they understand."

"No, Simba," Jenna said, "just go."

"No," Simba said, still laying by her.

Jenna sighed as she laid down again, "Thanks."

The lion didn't answer as he closed his eyes, laying his ears against his head. However, the lioness was not so lucky; she was overcome by guilt, thinking that she was already causing a rift between Simba and Timon and Pumbaa.

'I'll make this right.'

Jenna carefully stood up, having a thought in mind of what to do. It wasn't too late in the evening, and she ran off with her task in mind.

0-0-0-0-0-End Of Chapter 2.


	3. Friends?

A/N: Hi all!

I'm so sorry I haven't updated in forever; I've had writer's block on every story I'm working on! However, I'm trying to get every story updated before I leave for vacation on the 20th!

Time to thank my awesome reviewers, and please don't give up on me; I will not give up on this story!

fluffys-sidekick: Here's chapter 3, I hope you like it; thank you for reviewing!

Jenna: Thanks for your review; and I'm sorry it took forever! Please come back!

Nala17: As for Timon's task you find out this chapter! Thank you for reading and reviewing!

Gemstone3: I hope you'll come back, thank you for your review!

Pichooi: Thank you for reviewing, and I hope you won't give up on me…lol. Here's the next chapter, enjoy!

Bambi: Thanks for your review! I hope you'll be back!

SoulSingerJenna: Thank you for your review, and I like your penname!

Narfgirl: Thank you for your review; you'll see what happens so please keep reading!

HC247: Thanks for your review, it made me laugh when you said that almost getting eaten can ruin one's day..lol! Thanks girl!

Well all, for what you've been waiting for!

Please remember to RR and tell me what you think; if you have any thoughts or suggestions feel free to leave them in a review or email me!

Thanks!

Chapter 3: Friends?

"I have too many of those," Jenna mumbled to herself as she counted all the bugs that she had collected onto big flat leaves. Walking back to where the three friends still slept, Jenna placed the sixth leaf in its place next to the other five. Smiling, the young lioness scampered off in order to get more leaves and fill them with all kinds of bugs.

"Three for each," Jenna said aloud as she knew how much Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa loved the crawling flying creatures.

00—00—00—00--

00..00..00..00..

The bright colors of the African sun had barely made it past the trees when Jenna came back with her ninth and final leaf. From a distance away, Jenna sat back and admired her handiwork. All the leaves were lined up in a perfect straight line, with all the bugs surprisingly staying on there assigned leaf.

"Perfect," Jenna breathed as she closed her eyes and fell in to a deep sleep.

00..00..00..00..00..00..

"Oh, wow!"

Timon's yell of delight woke up a sleeping Simba and Pumbaa from there slumber.

"Timon, not so loud in the morning," Simba yawned as he stretched and Pumbaa copied his friend.

"What is it?"

The warthog asked, following Timon's gaze over to where all the bugs were lined up.

"Oh wow, I've never seen anything like it! It's a smorgasbord of bugs! I wonder who did this?"

Timon jumped up and down as he was exclaiming about the bugs;

"I think I know who," Simba said as he walked over to a still sleeping Jenna. However, Timon didn't seem to notice as he looked at Pumbaa, "Awe, thanks Pumbaa! What a surprise…"

"It wasn't me Timon, I think it was Jenna."

"Jenna? Ha, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard…! Wait, maybe it could be Jenna?"

"Jenna, did you do this?"

Simba looked in amazement at all the bugs; then his gaze traveled to where Timon and Pumbaa had already begun to consume the insects.

"I made three for each," Jenna replied as the meerkat raised his head and looked at the lioness.

"You mean, you made the smorgasbord of bugs?"

"Yes."

"You didn't have to," Simba said.

"Yes she… oi!"

Pumbaa had nudged Timon in the side with his hoof thus making him scowl at the warthog and rub his sore side.

"I really felt bad for yesterday," Jenna said as she sat down on the ground and looked at the lion, "Go and eat Simba."

"Thank you so much!"

Pumbaa said as he belched and dove in to his third and his final leaf of creepy-crawly insects.

"Yeah," Timon mumbled as Simba swiped at his head.

"Timon, didn't your mom teach you better than that?"

Simba inquired a playful but firm tone to his voice;

"Thanks," Timon mumbled, but he had looked at Jenna when he said it.

"You're welcome," Jenna replied as she grinned at her three new friends.

The lioness stood up and nodded at the three animals, "I'm going to go to the river," she announced as Simba and Pumbaa nodded to show that they understood.

"Ok," Pumbaa exclaimed, "Have fun, and thanks again for the bugs! We love them!"

Jenna smiled at the warthog as she turned from them and began her stroll to the river that she had awakened by the day before. Sighing as she laid down near the bank, Jenna allowed her mind to travel back to before her Hakuna Matata lifestyle. It wasn't until now that Jenna had begun to regret her decision to leave her pride; after all, although she wasn't accepted by mostly everyone, there was one lion that had always been kind to her.

"Hey," the lioness jumped as she turned to see Timon behind her.

"Hi," Jenna replied, not wanting to hear anymore of Timon's bashing.

"You know the bugs, well they were really good," Timon said, sitting a little ways off from Jenna.

"I mean, how did you ever find that type of spider? I can never find those," Timon said as the awkward silence stretched on for a time. After a moment, Jenna broke out in to a huge smile.

"I used my nose to let them crawl on it; then I put them on the leaf. Have you ever had a bug up your nose before?"

Jenna and Timon laughed at the humorous incident before the meerkat cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry about how I acted earlier," Timon said.

"It's alright," Jenna replied as she looked down at the tiny creature, "Do you want me to show you that spider trick?"

"Sure," Timon answered as Jenna smiled at him.

"Friends?"

The lioness stuck out her paw; as Timon hesitated before speaking, "I'd say we're acquaintances."

"Ummm, ok," Jenna said as she lowered her head, "Do you want a ride acquaintance?"

"Alright; but only cause Pumbaa isn't around," Timon replied as he climbed on Jenna's head and she trotted off to find the spiders.

00..00..00..00..End Of Chapter 3..00..00..00


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